Subhash Gatade First posted August 06, 2017 For a section of people – whose number is diminishing fast – it is a moment of nostalgia when idealism was in air and sacrificing oneself for the cause of emancipation of humanity was looked at with respect, whereas for a larger section which is being intoxicated with… Read More RIP Bhiku Daji Bhilare: the man who saved Gandhiji’s life in 1944
By Philippe Clifton, William Gao, Oskar Zimowski WHO: Gillo Pontecorvo, Saadi YacefWHAT: The Battle of AlgiersWHEN: 1966 – 1971WHERE: The Republic of FranceWHY: For depicting a pro-Algerian perspective of the Battle of Algiers The Battle of Algiers (1966) is a historical film depicting the resistance efforts of Algerian national groups against French colonial authorities between 1954 and… Read More The Censorship Files: The Battle of Algiers (1966)
Bharat Bhushan From Washington DC and Cairo to Paris and Abu Dhabi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the season’s flavour. However, the recurrent charge that his government is antithetical to India’s religious minorities hobbles his stride across the world stage. On the day he was guest of honour at France’s Bastille Day Parade, its premier… Read More Govt goes into pantomime mode to assuage foreign critics
A recent collection, The Call of the Tribe, explains why the Peruvian writer rejected the left and embraced the thinking of Friedrich Hayek and his ilk. JACK HANSON In a 1949 paper published in the Bulletin of the American Association of University Professors, the liberal philosopher Sidney Hook described a certain species of mid-century intellectual who, having… Read More The Miseducation of Mario Vargas Llosa
A World After Liberalism, a fascinating new book by Yale scholar Matthew Rose, considers the thought and influence of five thinkers beyond the political and academic mainstream who have played a significant role in establishing the intellectual framework for the movement, which Rose refers to as the ‘Radical Right’. Justin Reynolds Russia’s invasion of Ukraine… Read More A World After Liberalism: the Radical Right and the dream of tradition
Will love, compassion, and care hold similar velocity to counter-mobilise rightwing Hindutva? Ajay Gudavarthy Democracies across the globe are undergoing a deep churning and we do not know, as yet, if this will eventually settle down into a more inclusive social equilibrium challenging old and conventional understanding of social change, or remain stuck as a… Read More India’s Silent Emotive Majority
the public is increasingly sceptical about the legal processes and their outcome. The press conference by four supreme court judges about the state of the apex court in 2018, the behaviour of former Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in the sexual harassment case against him, his eager acceptance of a Rajya Sabha nomination, the non-judicial rationalisations… Read More The political impact of Rahul Gandhi’s legal woes
In a revealing interview with The Wire, Meitei MLA Nishikant Singh Sapam, Chairman of the Committee on Privileges and Ethics in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, stated that the conflict primarily revolves around land. It becomes evident that labelling Kukis as ‘terrorists,’ ‘narco-terrorists,’ ‘illegal immigrants,’ or ‘foreigners’ serves no purpose other than undermining their legitimacy, subjecting… Read More Manipur Conflict: Echoes of History & Perils of False Narratives
Bharat Bhushan With an eye on the general elections, the government’s communication policy has diversified from TV and print media to include social media influencers. Individuals with large followings on social media will get government funding to promote the government’s leadership and programmes either directly or through advertisements. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology… Read More Govt employing influencers: Death knell for professional news media?
Bhubaheswar: More than 80 retired civil servants, including at least four ex-IAS officers of Odisha cadre, have sought Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s intervention to put an end to alleged harassment of voluntary organisations under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The group of 86 former civil servants of the All India and Central Services, which… Read More 86 Ex-Civil Servants Including Former Odisha Cadre IAS Officers Write To Amit Shah; Allege Harassment Of NGOs Under FCRA
After the truth-shower 